“You look at my fights, you can pretty much tell which shots to look out for,” he told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). “It’s pretty one-dimensional.”

But if fans expect the same thing when he fights Josh Thomson at “Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey,” they’re in for a shock.

“I’ve brought back the kicks, and I’ve always had a ground game and wrestling, but (I have) more defending,” Noons said. “Now, I’m starting to do takedowns, and now I’m starting to bring up my clinch, too, so you don’t just have to look out for one thing.”

Noons (11-4 MMA, 3-2 SF) vs. Thomson (18-4 MMA, 9-2 SF) serves as the co-main event of “Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey,” which takes place tonight at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The event’s main card airs live on Showtime while preliminary-card fights air on Showtime Extreme.

As a former pro boxer, Noons has long fought perceptions that he’s a limited fighter. But he’s worked hard to prove otherwise.

You might have seen his evolution in his most recent performance this past December at “Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal.” He was the one who initiated a ground fight against Billy Evangelista, an opponent who probably had spent more overall time than him on the mats.

Combined with his well-sharpened striking skills, it was a performance that won him that fight and set up tonight’s bout against Thomson, which is expected to crown a No. 1 contender in the Strikeforce lightweight division.

Thomson wouldn’t be foolish enough to think Noons is green in arts other than boxing and kickboxing. But he doesn’t have a whole lot of footage to work with when it comes to the new Noons, and of course, more change has taken place since he joined forces with veteran trainer Jeff Clark.

So, Thomson could be in for a shock, too.

“I could just stay the same and probably compete at the top level not really changing my style, or I could bring back some things from the past and get better as an all-around better MMA fighter,” Noons said. “And if I can do that, I think I’ll have more success than what I would do if I did my same old thing.

“Athletes are getting better at standup. If you can’t beat everyone in standup, you have to have other tools that you can use that you can find ways to win the fight. That’s what I’ve got going for myself in these new camps, and Jeff really helped me out with my game and just starting to mix it up.”

As longtime veterans of combat sports, Noons and Thomson share the kind of fraternal bond that comes with years of working in the same business. But they differ on what tonight’s fight means. As Thomson previously told MMAjunkie.com Radio, he views it as a setup to a trilogy with champ Gilbert Melendez, whom he beat earlier in his career, and he isn’t focused on crossing over to the UFC. Noons, on the other hand, wants a Melendez fight because it should provide a perfect springboard for just such a move.

“I want to get a shot at this title because Gilbert is No. 1, but I really want to get a shot at the guys in the UFC,” Noons said. “Strikeforce is considered a minor league while that’s really not the case. We can compete with all these guys. I want to show people that I can compete at that level.”

That outlook is informed by his history with Strikeforce. The promotion is a much different animal than it was a year ago. Back then, it was still a competitor with the UFC and in the midst of putting together a heavyweight grand prix that promised to outshine the industry leader’s division. Now, the promotion is under the UFC’s corporate parent, Zuffa LLC, and after the exodus of several of its champions to the big-brother promotion, many believe it to be a minor league.

Noons’ contract was one of several acquired by Strikeforce in 2009 from the ailing (and now-defunct) EliteXC promotion, and he said his previous deal allowed him to box and fight in MMA. Under Strikeforce’s new owners, things have changed.

“Now, UFC sucked up Strikeforce, and I’m like, ‘OK, put me over the UFC,’ and they’re like, ‘No, we’re going to keep it separate,'” he said. “I want to show people I can compete on that level.”

But Noons’ desire to move over isn’t just about contractual freedom. It’s about the amount of time he has left in the sport. As recently as this past year, he’s begun talking about retirement. For a 29-year-old, an idea like that might strike some as throwing in the towel early. But the career he has on paper does not reflect the totality of how long he’s been fighting.

“I’ve been doing boxing and kickboxing since I was 5 years old,” Noons said. “I think this is like my 44th or 45th pro fight with boxing, kickboxing and MMA put together. I don’t want to be that guy that keeps showing up for a paycheck. I want to keep my brain.”

Noons undoubtedly has a several years left before health concerns overtake the reward he gets from being in the cage. Right now, he’s still growing as a mixed martial artist and could put that on vivid display tonight. But he doesn’t have forever to make a statement.

As to how long it takes him to prove his worth, that’s something he can’t predict.

MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by Gorgeous George, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Goze. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.

The Latest

The man known for cranking submissions to the point of injury added eye-gouging to his repertoire. But is the controversy of Rousimar Palhares too essential to his bizarre, awful appeal for his employers to take any meaningful action against him?

Ronda Rousey’s statistical greatness has already ventured into uncharted territory – just six fights into her UFC career. Check out all the post-fight facts, including Rousey’s latest achievements, about UFC 190.